Local Sports

Rohman, Colegrove named All-Sentinel Football Co-Players of the Year

The Martin County West and North Union football teams had a fantastic season.

The Mavericks had their most successful year since 2022. After winning seven of eight regular-season games, Martin County West clinched the No. 2 seed in the ensuing Section 2A playoffs, beating Madelia in round one before falling to No. 3 Cleveland in the semifinals, 14-6.

North Union flashed similar achievements. The Warriors rattled off wins in seven of their first eight games before the 8-Player Playoffs. Victories over Janesville and Kingsley-Pierson set up a quarterfinal matchup against Audubon, where North Union ultimately lost 59-34.

Multiple factors aided these programs in their rewarding campaigns. However, the impact of two individuals helped fuel each team to the end: Martin County West running back/utility Pierce Rohman and North Union quarterback/defensive back Greyson Colegrove.

Rohman racked up 1,365 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 208 carries. He added to his totals in special teams, returning kicks for 437 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Defensively, the senior was used in multiple positions, tallying up 36 tackles and five sacks.

For Colegrove, his dual-threat prowess stood out significantly. Colegrove tossed for 1,001 yards with 16 touchdowns on 58 completions. He ran for an additional 1,217 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. Colegrove picked up 43 tackles and a team-high three interceptions at his defensive back spot.

These individual and team accomplishments earned both Rohman and Colegrove the title of 2026 All-Sentinel Football Co-Players of the Year.

Pierce Rohman

Martin County West had some questions heading into this past season. The Mavericks' previous 1-8 finish ended with a loss to Lester Prairie in sections. But a smaller graduating class meant many key roles retained returning experience the following season.

A successful preseason scrimmage at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton gave confidence to many players, including Rohman, that this season could be different. Martin County West's 60-0 season-opening victory over Windom Area further displayed the team's growth. There was an attitude around the program that sought to redeem what happened a year prior.

"There were quite a bit of people who wanted something to change," Rohman said. "It wasn't just a couple of guys. Our whole team felt that. I think that was one of the main things that helped us do so well. We had so many returning starters that wanted a change from last year because losing stinks."

With the football in his hand, Rohman became a difference maker in Martin County West's string of victories. Other individuals helped carry the backfield load. Quarterback Maddex Faber and running back Kaedin Lange combined for 782 rushing yards on 139 carries.

But those two didn't approach Rohman's total touches. Rohman's 65 carries in the Mavericks' two games against Cleveland showed how involved he was in their offensive play. His main credit goes to the individuals blocking ahead of him.

"It was something special for me to be that centerpiece," Rohman said. "But I can't praise my [offensive] line enough. They really helped us a lot. I think secretly they were the centerpiece. They really made it possible for us to be running the ball like that."

Rohman simultaneously ran the ball with that same confidence and vision when returning kicks. With the football in his hands, the game slowed tremendously. Finding the running lanes became much easier. It was a "strange mindset" he couldn't explain.

Team success trumped everything. Rohman said he would gladly give up his rushing accomplishments if it meant going 8-2 every season. The experience he and his teammates went through all fall will remain forever. A blueprint is now in place for future teams and classes to hopefully relive these past few months.

"It's really awesome to win as a team. I think that's the beauty of football. Coming together as a team and seeing the outcome of your guys’ hard work," Rohman said. "A bunch of people around the area say to leave the program better than when you came into it. It kind of made me realize how important this season was for our school. Just setting the standard for the young guys to take on and do the same thing without us [seniors]."

Greyson Colegrove

Colegrove had already been put through the fire. Entering 2026, everything began to slow down for him at quarterback

His first start as North Union's play caller came two seasons ago. An injury to then-starting quarterback Grady Madden forced a young Colegrove into the spotlight. The Warriors finished their year at 2-6. Colegrove had over 500 yards passing and rushing, with nine total touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Colegrove continued to develop that next fall. As the Warriors improved to a 5-4 finish, he recorded 770 passing yards, 468 rushing yards, and 23 total touchdowns, all while lowering his interceptions to three.

When senior season approached, the quarterback noticed a difference. The throws, the reads, and decision-making became clearer and more concrete.

"My sophomore year, everything was really fast, and you just try to pick it up," Colegrove said. "When you play more seasons, with everybody, things slow down, and you just get used to it. ...It helped me gain a lot of experience playing varsity football. It definitely helped to play those first two years. It all slowed down immensely."

Colegrove was a key piece in turning North Union's offense into a total juggernaut. The Warriors scored a staggering 52 points per game and eclipsed 60 points on four different occasions. They ran for 3,308 yards and threw for 1,069 more.

Weapons laced the entire offensive unit. 2026 All-Sentinel Football Team recipients - running back Carson Crouch and center Max Merrill, along with Honorable Mention tight end Cooper Hoye - brought stability across all position groups. Its combination of a productive ground game and an effective passing attack made the Warriors difficult to defend.

"A lot of that confidence came from the guys up front working hard all offseason to try and get to the spot where they are. They made humongous holes for Carson [Crouch] and me to run through," Colegrove said. "The run game was the main reason the pass game opened up, and I was able to throw for more yards. Everyone's honing in on the run, and whenever we decided to call a pass, it caught the defense off guard a little."

The North Union season will go down in its record books. Its 9-2 finish broke the single-season win total record by four victories. It’s also the first time North Union has hosted a playoff game and made the quarterfinals. For Colegrove, ending his Warrior football career in this fashion meant everything. The connections he and his teammates made through their journey live on through the program.

"Being in that senior class, and knowing that the work we put in since we were young has paid off, it's really cool," Colegrove said. "It's really cool making that deep playoff run. Not many guys get to go that deep in the postseason. Everybody left it all out there, and it became a brotherhood."